Chagrined Family Demands Justice After Colonial Military Frees Rape Suspect in Bamenda

By Mbah Godlove

The family of a 16-year-old girl in Bamenda, the chief city of the Northern Zone, is seeking justice after the colonial military of French Cameroun released a man accused of raping their daughter less than 24 hours after his arrest. Despite medical evidence confirming sexual assault, the suspect was reportedly set free, leaving the family and local community outraged.

The incident occurred on December 31, 2024, in Bamenda. According to reports, the suspect, who is said to be in a relationship with the victim’s aunt, allegedly lured the teenager into a vulnerable situation while the aunt was away. He then reportedly sexually assaulted her. The act was interrupted when the aunt returned home and reportedly caught him in the act.

Local residents apprehended the suspect and handed him over to the colonial military, hoping for justice. However, the suspect was released within a day. The victim’s family has expressed frustration, alleging that bribery may have played a role in the suspect’s freedom.

A medical report from the Bamenda Zonal Hospital, which was presented to the authorities, confirmed that the teenager was sexually assaulted. Despite this, no further legal action has been taken, prompting the family to appeal for support from human rights organizations to seek justice for the victim.

Since the start of the raging war of freedom in 2016, many civilians have been raped by colonial soldiers, with some happening in broad-day light. In 2017 for instance, a 17-year-old breastfeeding mother was brutally raped by a colonial police officer at a petrol station around a veterinary junction in Bamenda. Unfortunately, such acts have gone unpunished and now, seeking justice with unclean hands is probably what the colonial soldiers are afraid to do given their records of rape in Ambazonia.